New details emerge regarding the Nvidia DLSS support on the upcoming Nintendo Switch console

We previously covered the next gen Nintendo Switch leaks posted on the ResetEra forums, and in the meantime, we also got a Bloomberg leak on Switch Pro versions with 7-inch 4K OLED screens launching later this year. It is still unclear if the DLSS support will be included on the revised models mentioned in the Bloomberg article or maybe we are looking at a successor for the Switch. Nvidia is expected to phase out production for the Tegra X1 “Mariko” GPUs this year, so at least we know Nintendo will need to integrate a new GPU or, most likely, a new SoC that may support DLSS. NateDrake, the one who initially revealed Nintendo’s plans to support DLSS, is back with some details that could help us make more sense of all the rumors.

In a recent firmware update for the Switch, it is mentioned that a new model codenamed Aula is in the works. NateDrake is unsure if this Aula device is the one that will feature DLSS, but it should come with 4K support:

The tablet itself definitely has an upgraded display, I don't know if it's 4K.

Aula has firmware support for some Realtek chip that advertises itself as a "4K UHD multimedia SoC", too, hence my belief it's 4K. That chip might be inside a new dock and not inside the tablet, though, there's no way to tell from the firmware code yet.

Checked my previous discussions with hexkyz, the upgraded tablet display is an OLED screen. Probably not higher resolution on tablet itself, so I guess the 4k realtek chip is more likely to be new dock than I thought it was.

Later on, NateDrake specifies that he amended expectations to be open to the idea that Aula could be the Bloomberg model. Still, he remains 100% confident that the new SoC + DLSS equipped Switch is coming. When exactly? Hard to say. NateDrake speculates that the DLSS version will be announced in the coming fiscal year. The plan was to release this year, but it might get delayed into 2022. The current chip shortages may affect the release window in this case.

NateDrake also suggests that we should not be confusing the Realtek SoC with the upgraded Nvidia SoC. It looks like the Realtek SoC is only handling 4K upscaling on the dock, while the Nvidia SoC on the handheld itself will support DLSS. NateDrake explains that the DLSS is indeed hardware based, and “it won't be handled by the dock.”

Buy the Nintendo Switch Lite console on Amazon